Abstract
Initiation into traditional healing known as ‘ukuthwasa’ has been a long standing and important aspect in African spirituality. It is a sacred journey that requires a spiritually gifted individual to make great changes in their life by secluding themselves from normalcy to gain spiritual growth. However, this sacred journey presents mounting challenges for young people. The objective of this study was to investigate the multi-dimensional costs of initiation into traditional healing among South African youth in Johannesburg. Qualitative research methodology was used to make sense of the phenomenon, and eight young people were interviewed. To make sense of the experiences of young people’s journey of ukuthwasa and the multi-dimensional costs associated with it, Victor Turner’s concept of liminality was deployed. Findings from this study reveal embarking on the process of initiation into traditional healing for young people comes with educational, financial, material and psychological costs. These multi-dimensional costs of initiation into traditional healing can inhibit a young person’s ability to complete the process and subject them to be in a permanent state of liminality. This is in a context in South Africa where ukuthwasa is commodified and young people are grappling with unemployment which makes it difficult for them to complete their training process, therefore subjecting them to a permanent state of liminality.